Chief Secretary, Dr Arun Kumar Mehta today chaired a meeting to take stock of the preparations to be made for grand celebration of the finale of Azadika Amrit Mahotsav (AKAM), going on from last more than one year.
The meeting was attended by all the Administrative Secretaries, ADGP Kashmir/Jammu; Divisional Commissioner Kashmir/Jammu; Deputy Commissioners and Districts SPs besides other concerned officers.
The Chief Secretary took this occasion to applaud the Divisional and District Administration for their untiring efforts during all these months to make the UT reach to top of the table by organising more events than other states/UTs under AKAM program.
Dr Mehta impressed upon the officers that the celebrations of the culmination of this nationwide festival should be made at each level right from the Panchayats. He made out that each office, school or college should hoist the National Flag on 15th of August besides taking special measures for the sanitation and upkeep of their premises.
He enjoined upon all the officers to take part in all the events themselves besides encouraging others for the same. He also advised the District Administration to monitor the performance of the Panchayats in their jurisdiction.
He asked the Forest Department to make arrangements for providing at least 75 plant saplings to each Panchayat for planting as part of these celebrations. He asked for taking measures for protection of all of such plantations through the institutions where these are planted.
The Chief Secretary maintained that each celebration should be befitting in its grace and decorum befitting for the occasion involving the ‘Panchayat Prabharis’ in it. He advised that all the ‘Veers' to be chosen for felicitation and remembrance by the Panchayats should be well-known having unquestionable contribution in nation building or sacrifice to protect it.
Giving the details, the Secretary Culture and Tourism, Dr Syed Abid Rasheed Shah listed out details of the activities envisaged to be carried out under the theme ‘Meri MaatiMeraDesh- MittikoNamanVeeronkaVandan’.
He revealed that the celebrations are part of the culmination of more than a year long celebrations under AKAM which were started on 12th of March last year to commemorate the 75 years of India’s Independence. He stated that on this year’s Independence Day the country would pay homage to its motherland through different programs and events.
It was given out that the local level programs shall be held between 9-15th of August including paying homage to the ‘Veers’ who had sacrificed their today for our tomorrow preferentially freedom fighters, defence personnel. As part of this initiative a ‘Shilaphalakam' will be erected at each location paying tribute to sacrifice and contribution of Veers followed by flag hoisting ceremony and singing of National Anthem.
The program also involves taking ‘PanchPran Pledge' taking selfie with ‘Mitti’ of the village or earthen ‘Diya’ in hand. Such selfies have to be uploaded on the national portal meant for it. Similarly under the activity of ‘VasudhaVandan’ each Gram Panchayat will replenish mother earth by planting at least 75 plant saplings preferentially around the already established AmritSarovars.
The meeting was further informed that ‘MittiYatras' from Panchayats would be taken to blocks where from it would be collected in an earthen urn for forward journey to New Delhi by a youth from each block for construction of the National Memorial at Kartavya Path.
It was made out that the participation level of J&K remained unparalleled and distinct as the UT organised highest number of events in the country under AKAM. It has organized over 1.5 lakh events out of which 44,652 have been published by Ministry of Culture, GoI till 21st of this month.
As part of the celebration of AKAM the UT has also developed 75 heritage sites, 75 tourist villages, organized 75 Sufi festivals, engaged over 1 million youth in various cultural and sports activities, hoisted over 15 lakh Tricolours covering more than 66% of households, created more than 5100 youth clubs with membership of around 1 lakh youth besides achieving dozens of other milestones.
All these events under “Meri MaatiMeraDesh" envisions a unified celebration of India’s valour that took it to the journey of freedom and progress. Moreover this program is aimed at instilling a sense of National pride among future generations of this country.